Dueling Club
by stephaniedeedee
Summary: Amelia's first introduction to the students of Hogwarts as Lockhart's assistant. All goes well, until it doesn't, and Amelia finds herself under the scrutiny of one very observant potions master.
1. Chapter 1

"Gather round! Gather round," called the sharp voice of professor Lockhart. Amelia let out a long aggravated breath as she slowly closed her mouth. She grit her teeth behind closed lips while watching the man walk away. Professor Lockhart stepped onto the table and began walking along it pompously. "Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent," he said as the room went quiet and all the children's eyes were upon him. Amelia had quietly stepped off to the side without the student's notice. She would wait to reveal herself when things inevitably got out of hand.

"In light of dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club; to train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourselves. As I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works," with that said Lockhart took his cape off and threw it at a group of extremely unimpressed girls. The one who ended up with the extravagantly gaulish cloth stared at it in confusion. Whether aware of their lack of interest, or not, Lockhart continued on. "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape."

Amelia, along with the students, turned to look as a shadowy figure appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The figure was a man, a man Amelia knew quite well, yet not at all. Though she knew of the potion master's dark history, she was not prepared for the dark figure nor his presence. The tragic war hero, Severus Snape, was not exactly how Amelia pictured him. Of course, he was tall and lithe with long silky black hair and cold black eyes just as the portraits showed him to be, but that was not all. His pale yet dark form was hauntingly powerful, and his movements were swift and authoritative. The aura surrounding him was almost suffocating with its might. It was easy to see that through the eyes of a child this was quite terrifying, but it was quite different through the eyes of an adult. Quite different indeed, thought Amelia as professor Snape stepped onto the table and strode across towards Lockhart. "He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry. You'll still have your potions master when I'm through with him. Never fear."

Amelia's eyes, as well as many of the students, stayed trained on the potions master's powerful gaite. When Lockhart finished his speech and faced the professor he seemed to physically shrink at the site before him, but he stood his ground. The two professors stood before each other and began the traditional routine before any wizard duel. Both wizards raised their wands across their chests, brought them to their sides, bowed, and turned to take their places. It was quiet as they both took equal steps away and quickly turned into their defensive positions. Professor Snape was quick and precise in his movements, and Amelia noticed Lockhart's wand waver slightly in intimidation, though his voice did not.

"One. Two. Three."

"Expelliarmus," spoke the clear, concise, and powerful voice of professor Snape. Lockhart's wand was the first to fly, nevertheless unnoticed, and directly into Amelia's hand. All in the room watched as Lockhart's body sailed all the way back to the end of the table, besides one. With the expensive, slightly bendy, wand in hand Amelia stared at the one who disarmed it. The potions master looked on at his flat-backed opponent with a dry smirk. Lockhart's groan echoed across the hall, silencing the students whispers, as he stood up.

"An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do, and if I had wanted to stop you it would have only been to easy," rambled the golden haired wizard as he patted himself down.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor," advised Professor Snape. It was hard for Amelia to keep her laughter within during the long silence that followed. Some of the children weren't as capable.

"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape!" Lockhart's loud voice covered the adolescent giggles echoing across the hall. "Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter!" It was at this moment that Amelia's eyes were torn away from the dark professor to a dark head of curly hair which Lockhart was pointing at. As Weasley was chosen, and unchosen by Professor Snape, Amelia was lost staring at the small child who slowly stepped up onto the table. There wasn't a day that went by Amelia didn't think of the boy-who-lived-again, but now that very being stood before her. A living breathing child with a part of Tom Riddle's soul inside of him. It wasn't until the child, Harry Potter, was standing before the young Malfoy boy that Amelia came to.

"On the count of three cast your charms to disarm your opponent. Only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here," instructed Lockhart, "One. Two,"

"Averte statum!" shouted Draco. The stinging spell hit Harry straight in the chest, sending him flying back. Lockhart looked panicked, but stood frozen. Harry Potter quickly got back up as a group of students, possibly Slytherin, laughed mockingly at the display.

"Rictusempra!" shouted Harry and the spell shot straight at the still smirking Draco. The blond haired boy went flying back. Professor Snape assisted the child in getting back up.

"I said disarm only!" shouted Lockhart. Amelia rolled her eyes and took a step forward, ready to intervene, but stalled when the next spell was cast.

"Serpensortia!" shouted Draco. A long black snake flew from the boy's wand and landed before Harry. The room grew quiet as the serpent slowly uncoiled.

"Don't move Potter, I'll get rid of it for you," announced the potions professor, who was stopped by Lockhart.

"Allow me, Professor Snape. Alarte Ascendare!" Amelia watched Lockhart cast the spell, confused, until she noticed that the wand was not the same as in her hand. Obviously he had borrowed it from one of the students. All the students watched as the black snake was flung high into the air before landing. After the initial shock of hitting the table, the snake hissed violently. He was agitated, angry, and ready to attack. The snake's focus was locked in on a student in the crowd, and Amelia was prepared to cast it away when yet again she was stopped by a student.

"Stop it," hissed Harry. The hair on Amelia's neck stood up. Besides Tom Riddle himself, Amelia had never heard another human being, other than her, speak parseltongue. She stared in awe as the young child stepped towards the irritated snake, and spoke again. "Don't touch him." The room was deadly silent. Only when the snake seemed to listen to the boy did Amelia take action, right before Professor Snape had a chance to raised his wand. Wandlessley, and silently, she cast 'vipera evanesca'. Students jumped as the bright light shot out of nowhere and hit the false serpent, causing it to burn into non-existence.

"That was quite the show," Amelia said, and all heads turned her way. As she walked towards the table where Harry stood the students between theme parted instinctively. A pair of pitch black eyes rested heavily on her, and Amelia resisted the urge to turn towards it. "There hasn't been a known parselmouth in well over a hundred years. That is quite the gift you have there, Mr. Potter." Amelia smiled kindly at the boy, who seemed quite befuddled. Amelia grinned up in amusement, "but, no matter how amazing the feat of 'snake speak' is, that doesn't exclude what has happened here. Twenty point from Gryffindor for using defensive spells, when you were told to disarm only," at this point a series of students began to laugh mockingly, "and twenty points from Slytherin for the same, Mr. Malfoy." Amelia turned to find a sower face glaring down at her, to which she gave a pointed look in response. "Be thankful it isn't more. Unlike Mr. Potter, you used a spell which hasn't been taught to your peers yet, let alone the counter spell. Very dangerous."

"I'm sorry, but who are you, exactly?" Mr. Malfoy asked, not really being sorry at all. Amelia arched a sharp eyebrow. Such insolence for a child so young. Amelia pitied him.

"Ms. Bernagin is my assistant, and was going to be joining me in three weeks, but being her teacher I knew that she was ready to start today with everything I've taught her." Lockhart announced, grinning cheekily. Amelia smiled back at him just as cheekily, and raised her hand that held a slightly bendy wand, causing the man to falter.

"Your wand, Professor," Amelia said. Lockhart stared at the offered object for a while, his smile becoming stoney and his cheeks red. Flippantly, he tossed the borrowed wand back towards where it came from, and took his back from Amelia with a flourish. Somewhere in the background an awkward young boy scrambled across the floor for the discarded object.

"Yes, well," Lockhart coughed and turned towards the students, "let us have another volunteer pair! You there, Ms-"

"If I may, Professor," Amelia interrupted, "wouldn't it be best to give the students a more exact demonstration on the spell we're going over today?" Lockhart slowly turned towards Amelia with hard eyes and an even harder smile. It was obvious that the man hadn't prepared a subject for the day's meeting, and Amelia decided to take pity. "Would you allow me to demonstrate the disarm charm, of which you've so well instructed me on, with Professor Snape?" A slow smirk formed on the pompous wizard's face when the words 'well instructed' were said. His shoulders dropped with relief; whether from hiding his lack of preparation, or not having to face off the potions master again, Amelia wasn't sure.

"What an excellent idea! Now, go easy on Professor Snape my dear. We can't blame what happens on my excellent teaching." When Lockhart turned around to step further down the table Amelia let her smile drop and her eyes cool. The few students who were watching the new assistant shivered in reaction. Amelia walked around to the end of the table, filling the silent room with the echo of her heels. The dark fabric lined across the side of her skirt swayed beside her as she moved, giving an elegant swish to her stark and practiced steps. There were whispers from the students as she stepped up onto the table, for now everyone could see the strange witch. From her sleeve Amelia withdrew an onyx wand; a lyth long thing with a series of five barb like notches on it. The wand itself was almost as intimidating as the witch who wielded it.

When Amelia raised her head and made eye contact with her opponent, her steps, to only the most acute, appeared to falter just ever so slightly. The slight smirk that appeared on the dark wizard's mouth put him into that category. Again, Amelia faltered when the silky hair upon the man's head swayed forward as he bowed in greeting. It had been quite some time since another had shown the crown of their head to her, and it was numbing to have it be this wizards, of all wizards, after all this time. A sour feeling rose in Amelia's throat at the thought.

"Ms. Bernagin," came his stoic greeting.

"Professor Snape," Amelia trilled in a voice she used to cover up nerves. A short silence followed as they once again made eye contact. His gaze was almost suffocating in its intensity. Amelia felt a soft brush against her mind and hid her shock. Most wouldn't have felt the small intrusion, but Amelia was well versed in the art of occlumency and legilimency. She let loose a thought about how the room was just slightly chilly in order to avoid suspicion. The small pressure disappeared as it's enforcer became disinterested. In the short moment before they broke eye contact, Amelia took a short peak and cursed inwardly. Her thoughtless use of wandless casting earlier had not gone unnoticed. She had to be more careful. Slowly, ridding herself of tension, Amelia breathed in before speaking.

"I will be performing a simple expelliarmus on Professor Snape, just as he performed earlier. I will perform it again, and Professor Snape will perform the protego charm. Now, who can tell me what the protego charm is?" Amelia saw a hand shoot up out of her peripheral vision, but chose the half raised one towards the back of a group of whispering students. The girl seemed alarmed when Amelia gestured towards her. The children all turned and she began to panic when her mouth opened and nothing came out.

"What is your name?" Amelia prompted. The girl made a squeaking sound, which caused a few children to giggle, but Amelia waited patiently for the girl to try again.

"Ronda Sinestra, Ms.," she said meekly. Amelia smiled kindly at the child.

"Alright, Ms. Sinestra, what is the protego charm?"

"The protego charm... it is a shield charm. It creates a magical barrier to deflect physical entities a-and spells, in order to protect a certain person o-or area," Ms. Sinestra answered.

"Quite right, Ms. Sinestra," Amelia praised, then glanced down at the girl's uniform, "five points to Hufflepuff." For a short moment a smile bloomed onto the girl's face, before she once again curled in on herself when a fellow house member pat her on the back. She still retained a small smile though.

"Now, without ceremony," she said as she turned once again towards the potions master, "the first time, do not block me Professor." Instantly the two instructors went into position.

"Expelliarmus," Amelia spoke precisely and clearly for the students and cast her spell. Professor Snape's wand flew into her hand and there were gasps of excitement throughout the room. "Now," she said as she returned the wand to it's owner, "this time Professor Snape will cast the protego charm, which will deflect the spell either back at me, somewhere around the room, or into non-existence." The Professor nodded in acknowledgment. Once again the two went into position.

"Expelliarmus."

"Protego," Professor Snape spoke clearly, and the spell was absorbed into the invisible shield. More gasps of excitement echoed around the room.

"Now," said a smirking Amelia, "I do not believe anyone was paying attention to Professor Snape's wand movements, as they should have." As her eyes scanned the room she confirmed as much. "We will do the same again, with myself casting expelliarmus and Professor Snape casting protego, and each time you will watch his timing and movements. Alright, again!" Three more times Amelia cast and the potion master shielded, but unnoticed by the students was that the strength of both charms grew each time. By the time Amelia realised what the dark wizard was doing, the last shield charm had absorbed her spell. It had been a powerful expelliarmus, and her opponent had absorbed it instead of deflecting. It was alarming how easily Amelia unsuppressed her magic, as well as how easily the wizard met her stride for stride in analysis. Twice Amelia had slipped today, and as she looked once again into the clear onyx eyes of Severus Snape, she realized that avoidance was to become necessary.

"You will all go off into pairs and practice what has been demonstrated. You and your partner will take turns practicing these two spells. If you practice any other spell," she eyed the blond haired boy sharply who glowered at her in turn, "house points will be lost, and detentions will be given. Find your own partners, and begin." With that the students dispersed across the large hall. As Amelia went to step down she was met with a large pale hand. For longer than she'd willingly admit, Amelia studied the long graceful fingers before looking up to meet a pair of onyx eyes.

"Ms. Bernagin," he said with such placidity that she wished it were her true name. Unthinkingly, she placed her hand in his and gripped it as she stepped down. As she pulled her hand away his fingertips brushed across the underside of her palm.

"Thank you, Professor." was the only thing she could think to say, and her saving grace, astonishingly, walked up to the two instructors.

"My work once again proceeds me, doesn't it Severus?" exclaimed Lockhart, "only my assistant could perform so magnificently." Amelia hummed dismissively, but Lockhart either didn't hear her or pretended not to.

"Yes, quite the magnificent feet, Professor. Tell me," Professor Snape said, "how long has your student been performing silent wandless spells?" Heat flushed up Amelia's spine in fear. Lockhart did nothing to hide his shock for a few short seconds before he burst into laughter.

"Why Severus, I did not know you had a humorous bone in your body!" the slight grin on Professor Snape's mouth fell away instantly, "My student may be prodigious, but only because I taught her. Wandless magic isn't something Ms. Bernagin can do, even if I can teach it to her. There's only so much a teacher can teach, you know."

"So I am to believe that you can perform wandless magic?" Professor Snape asked.

"But of course!" Lockhart proclaimed, puffing his chest out. Professor Snape arched a rigid eyebrow.

"Ah, I must have been mistaken. It was probably a non-verbal," at this moment his onyx eyes slid onto Amelia who slammed her occlumency shields up. This man was dangerously observant. Coming to the dueling club had been a mistake, but there was no undoing what had been done. A sudden light pressure built up in Amelia's temple. She began releasing various simple thoughts and observations; one being of Mr. Potter with a boil covered face aiming his wand at a smirking Malfoy. Professor Snape snapped around and stormed off towards the two boys who were in the same positions.

"Wandless magic! Those potion fumes must be messing with his eye site." Lockhart commented and began laughing boisterously. Amelia grimaced a smile as well as she could.

"I'm not feeling well, Professor. May I retire early?" she asked, keeping her eyes trained on Professor Snape's retreating back.

"Slacking already, are we? Don't worry, not everyone can be as healthy as I. Go then, I've got everything completely under control." If teeth could physically shine, Lockhart's would be doing so right then. Amelia again grimaced and quickly snuck away.

With Gryffindor having lost ten more points and several detentions given, Severus Snape turned back around to find Professor Lockhart standing alone and the strange new assistant nowhere to be found.


	2. Hey!

Hello all. I thank you so much for your views and follows! I had no idea that anyone would enjoy Amelia's story, let alone FOLLOW it! So, here's to you who followed and want more: there is more, but it's not under this title. Amelia Riddle and the Serpents Stone (title in pending) is up under my stories. THIS specific snippet is actually something I wrote while I was planning out the fanfic I'm currently working on. Recently, this section didn't fit in the narrative any longer so I decided to post it as a separate piece. All these characters will be used, but this is not the first time Amelia meets certain people. But I couldn't delete this version of this scene, so here it is.

SO, for Amelia's full story, please go to my profile and read Amelia Riddle. Thank you so much for your support, and I hope to see you over there!


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